The Vitamin D and Pregnancy Campaign, spearheaded by Organic & Natural Health, is a remarkable success story in the realm of maternal health. In 2018, Organic & Natural Health submitted a petition to the FDA and held two follow-up meetings, urging the agency to allow health claims for dietary supplements containing vitamin D regarding the link between vitamin D and reduced preterm birth risk. Despite numerous studies supporting this connection, the petition was initially rejected by the FDA in 2019, arguing that serum vitamin D levels couldn’t be considered food components. Undeterred, Organic & Natural Health decided to educate consumers on how vitamin D impacts pregnancy and reduces preterm birth risks with label claims including, “supports full-term birth” and “supports a healthy pregnancy.”

Naomi Whittel’s Simply GOODFATS became the first vitamin D3 product to feature these label claims along with Organic & Natural Health’s recommended structure/function claim. Additionally, Organic & Natural Health also orchestrated a consumer awareness campaign, supported by published research showing that maintaining vitamin D levels between 40-60 ng/ml can reduce preterm births by up to 60%. An astounding 90% of pregnant women in the study were vitamin D deficient, yet no complications arose from vitamin D supplementation. Collaborating with Organic & Natural Health scientific advisor, Dr. Kecia Gaither, a double board-certified physician in OB-GYN and Maternal Fetal Medicine based in the Bronx, New York, Organic & Natural Health’s targeted media efforts resulted in nearly 15 million impressions, underscoring that an inexpensive nutrient like vitamin D has the potential to prevent a significant number of preterm births, sparing countless families from heartache and trauma.